Saturday, August 31, 2013

Itni si khushi

We were at a small store a few days back. It is a Mangalore store from where Mom buys brown rice, pickles, spices and other things which are from Mangalore. It is an all purpose store really and there is no time when there is a lull in the traffic that keeps coming. The owner of the store, an elderly uncle, manages the store.

For the time that I was standing in front of the small store while Mom was busy shopping, I kept looking at the customers.

A girl in her twenties came to buy Maggi Noodles. Just back from office and tired as she looked, I presumed that this is going to be her dinner. The shop owner manages the counter and he shouted orders to his helper to fetch the goods. The girl rummaged through her purse for money. Endless receipts, bus tickets, face napkins and what not came out but for the elusive change!
" Paisa nahi nikal raha kya?" the shopkeeper asked her rather rudely.
She looked embarrassed as she handed him a note and went away. Those who frequent the shop know that he meant no insult. It is just his way of talking :P

A South Indian woman entered. The uncle smiled at her. She looked every part a Mangalorean house wife. She asked for Rassam Masala and suddenly Mom was interested in the same :P

As my Mom kept delaying, two kids caught my attention. The small girl was talking on the phone in the shop. She was about 6 or 7 maybe. From what I gathered, she was asking her mother when she would return. The small boy with her, about 4 or 5 years old, was trying to drop into the conversation. Her brother for sure! There is something about a brother-sister pair that instantly warms me up to them. Call me biased but I have never really felt that about sisters :P

Luminous dark complexioned skin, large bright eyes, silky thick hair and thin framed, they personified innocence as they chattered away on the phone. It began to beep and uncle roared from the other end, "Badhau kya?"
The girl kept the receiver down and asked sweetly,
"Uncle how much did it cost?" ( In Marathi ofcourse :P)
" 2 rupees"
"Ok" she said and ran to the house close by. Her younger brother tagged behind her.

The uncle kept staring at them until a few new customers came. A school going boy asking for Cello gripper pen. A youngster asking for matchbox. IT was never ending.

The pair came back with money. The girl gave 2 rupees for the call and counted the change that she had. She smiled when she saw that she had a few coins extra to spare. She scanned the various jars filled with biscuits and other eateries.
"Should we buy the chaklis?" she asked her brother.
He made a face at her. Just the way kids make to show their disapproval.
She searched further to get his nod.
"Kaccha aam??" she asked.
His eyes lighted up.
" Ha ha Kaccha aam! Kaccha aam! Kaccha aam! " He started jumping where he was.

His shouts and dancing suddenly had more spectators. All smiling indulgently.
She gave her coins to the shopkeeper. He gave her 2 kaccha aam chocolates.
She went to the other side of the street.
The boy put his hands forward with a huge smile.
" What are you dancing so much for huh?" the shopkeeper asked him and handed him 2 chocolates.
"Only two?" He asked dejected.
"Take this. This is bakshees for you." the shopkeeper laughed his grandfatherly laugh as he handed two extra chocolates to the boy.
Just two 50 paise chocolates had painted a million dollar smile on his face. He happily hopped to the other side to tell his sister. They both leaped excitedly as they spilt their share.

I felt that happiness wrap me too. There was something so touching in those emotions that they could feel so openly, so unhesitating and without reading deeper into it. So easily they could find happiness in that small thing!

Along the years, we lose that genuine smile. That lighting up of the eyes. That completely acceptable happiness. Why can't we accept happiness that easily? Why do we dwell on it so much that it passes us by, without touching us? Why do we harden up? Why do we fear to feel happy? Why is that when I saw those kids, I sent a small prayer to heaven to keep that happiness intact? Why did I fear that someday their hearts will break?

I wonder why kaccha aam doesn't make me that happy! IF only we all could find happiness in small things that easily!

This felt like the perfect thing to share here. Lifted from facebook ofcourse :P

14 comments:

This is so true... however when I was young I used to feel like a Queen whenever I wore a new dress...and I feel the same now as well.. I may be wearing a t shirt which was cheap...still I feel that excitement.. I hope it never goes away. This is also how we relish sweet little things from life..

i just wrote about me today and how the smallest of things make me happy..and here i read this post!! and it reaffirms my faith that it is not too kiddish to be happy at the smallest things in life!! sweet post!

The innocence of childhood :) It's so sad it dims as we grow up. I find happiness in small things daily, but it does not quite measure up to the joy in small things I experienced when younger. I wrote a post along the same theme back in July this year :)

So true! I feel like giving a break to our life and go to an unknown place and blend with the background and smile at the skies, rains, candies and such little things which gave us so much joy once. :)

(How are you? Was quite busy for the past month and couldn't ping you. Hoping to catch you on chat)